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White House Reportedly Asks DOJ to Revive Reflecting Pool Vandalism Charges

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12.08.2026

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The Trump administration is reportedly considering renewing charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, just weeks after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro admitted that claims of him vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were likely false.

The new charges would be highly unusual, especially with that admission being submitted in official court records, and would present a difficult case for Pirro’s office to pursue. The push to renew the case may be due to President Donald Trump’s continued, almost fanatical insistence — despite evidence indicating otherwise — that Hearn and others vandalized the pool.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on potential plans to renew the case, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions taking place in the White House. According to their reports, the Trump administration is asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to consider reviving the charges.

Hearn was on a long-distance bike ride earlier this summer when he stopped at the reflecting pool. Media reports at the time indicated that renovations of the pool had resulted in large algae growth, and that chemicals used to remedy the problem were lifting the newly painted blue lining at the bottom. When Hearn reached his hand in the pool to feel the lining for himself, he was immediately arrested by the National........

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